Shades of Gray
by Wandering Raccoon
Summary: Darien Fawks is kidnapped and then rewritten into the world of X-men: Evolution. The result? Chaos. STORY IS INCOMPLETE AND WILL NOT BE FINISHED!
1. It starts

Shades of Gray  
By Skye Dragon  
  
  
Disclaimer: Yes! I own Kurt Wagner and Darien Fawks! They are mine! You can not use them! Oh wait, no, someone else owns them. Never mind.  
  
Author's note: Um...Hi. I have no idea why I wrote this. It was just one of those ideas that just refused to leave me alone. Anyway, this was really just an excuse to play with two of my favorite characters in one story. Kurt Wagner and Darien Fawks. For those who don't know, Darien is from a TV series on SciFi called The Invisible Man (a.k.a. I-man). You don't need to know anything about him or the show to understand this fic, though. As a matter of fact, if you DO happen to know what that show is about (OMG, You mean I'm NOT alone in my freaky TV tastes?) then I had better tell you to forget everything you know. I stole Darien, erased his past and turned him in to a teenager to use in this fic. So nothing that happens in the show applies here. I'm just going along with making Darien have the gland as a mutation, instead of it being implanted,(meaning there is no madness) if that makes sense. And I can do all this with the use of fanfiction magic. Wonderful stuff that is. Anyway, there are no other I-man characters in this one, and nothing else related to I-man. That's why I didn't put this in cross-overs. Okay, I think that's all I had to say. Oh no wait, I also... ::Nightcrawler suddenly bamfs right behind her and smacks her upside the head. Skye Dragon collapses and Nightcrawler catches her. He then drags her out of view muttering the whole time about stupid female authors who talk too much::  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: It starts.  
  
  
Sirens wailed. Red lights flashed. Tires screeched.  
  
People everywhere dove out of the way of the police motorcycles as they careened wildly, their drivers intent on only one thing:  
  
The boy.  
  
Panting heavily, his chest heaving, starving for breath, the teenager ran on. Every muscle ached, every fiber of his being screamed protest against this harsh treatment, but the boy didn't dare stop. He wouldn't even look back. He didn't NEED to look back. The ear-splitting wail of the sirens told him all he needed to know.  
  
They were still following.  
  
He was running blindly now. He'd been trying to lose them in all the back-streets and alleyways, but when ever he thought he had lost them, they would appear again, always one step behind. He'd since given up trying to lose them. He now just ran. He was exhausted, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't let them catch him. He'd seen what they did to mutants, and he wasn't about to let THAT happen to him.  
  
It was in this blind state of absolute panic that the teen suddenly found himself facing a dead end.  
  
"Crap!"  
  
Panicking, the so-called 'mutant' whirled around. The motorcycles were quickly closing the gap he'd managed to create. Time was running out, and he was trapped.  
  
As he searched frantically for an escape rote, the young boy was vaguely aware of a cool trickle on his forehead. In the back of his fear-fogged brain, he realized it was the same feeling that he'd recently become familiar with. Instinctively, he stood still and let the silver liquid flow from his pores, covering his body like a comforting blanket.  
  
The police men were there suddenly, bringing their 'cycles to a stop. There were five of them, four men and a woman. They stared around in confusion.  
  
"What happened?! Where'd he go?" The youngest cop exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
"He was here a second ago. I saw him!!" The woman cried.  
  
All five peered around intently before the biggest (and apparently oldest) man sighed. "Well, he's not here now. But we'll keep looking. We gotta real good look at 'em. We'll send wanted posters to the other nearby cities. He'll turn up sooner or later." Another man nodded in agreement as all five turned their motorcycles around and prepared to take off again.  
  
"Dang mutants," the last man commented sourly, "They'll be the death of us all. I say 'good riddance'."  
  
There were murmurs of agreement all around as the five drove away.  
  
As soon as the alleyway was quiet again, there was a soft tinkling sound. Silver flakes of . . . something . . . fell to the ground and in their place stood the teen.  
  
A dark scowl crossed his youthful face. " 'Death of us all,' huh? We'll just see about that..." The boy turned to go, but before he did he stopped and looked back. "And I have a name! I'm Darien! Darien Fawks!!!"  
  
  
  
  
"And our hero grabs the ball. With only five and a half seconds left on the clock, he'll have to make a long shot. Can he do it?!?"  
  
Evan stopped at half court dribbling the worn basketball. He squinted at the basket, then aimed...  
  
"And our hero aims, ... he shoots,... he-"  
  
"BLOCK!!!" A puff of smoke, and a certain 'fuzzy blue elf' appeared right in front of the basket. Catching the orange ball in his three-fingered hands, the fuzzy 'demon' fell to the ground, easily catching himself on his oddly shaped feet.  
  
"KURT! No fair! I was actually gonna score that time!" Evan yelled at the German mutant.  
  
Kurt just laughed. "Sure you vere!" His words were heavily accented. He whirled suddenly, throwing the basketball. It hit the backboard and bounced off. Evan smirked at his room mate.  
  
"Nice one!"  
  
Kurt opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by another voice.  
  
"Evan! Kurt!"  
  
Both teens turned to see a lovely young woman with white hair standing on a balcony of the mansion that overlooked the make-shift basketball court.  
  
"Come on you two! Dinner!" Ororo called. She then turned and went back inside the mansion that served as 'Xavier's school for gifted children'.   
  
No sooner had she gone than Kurt vanished himself in a puff of sulfur, accompanied by a sound that could only be described as 'bamf'.  
  
Evan grabbed up the old basketball and ran inside.  
  
  
  
  
Everyone was already in the dinning room when Evan arrived. He hurriedly flopped down in his seat and helped himself, just like everyone else.  
  
Dinner went as usual, with the usual fussing and Logan's gripping and, of course, Kitty trying to inform everyone about her latest crush at school ('trying' being the key word). The only thing really of any importance was when Xavier told them of his latest find.  
  
"Cerebro located another teen whose powers are begging to manifest." He announced.  
  
"Cool, vere is this one?" Kurt asked around a mouthful of food.  
  
"California." Xavier answered, ignoring the fuzzy one's rudeness.  
  
"Do you know the kid's name?"  
  
"It's a he, Darien Fawks. About sixteen, I believe. I also believe he was running from someone or something."  
  
"What do you want to bet I know what?" Scott muttered.  
  
Jean gave him one of her looks, and Scott hushed.  
  
"Logan will accompany me to find this boy. Ororo will stay here with you all." Xavier finished.  
  
"Man, how come WE never get to go on these trips?" Evan complained, his brow wrinkled in what might have been disgust.  
  
"Because you have school to attend." His aunt answered.  
  
"How long will it take you?" Jean questioned, looking at the professor.  
  
"I don't know. A few days I would think." He answered. There were murmurs all around and then the meal continued as usual.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Dark brown eyes stared out from under shaggy brown hair. They were framed by a thin, deathly pale face. The look in the eyes was one of loneliness, despair, and hate.  
  
This was the face that looked back at Darien from a broken piece of a mirror. With a grunt, the teen threw the thing down. It broke on impact, shattering into millions of tiny pieces. Darien regarded the tiny silvers of light with disgust. But it wasn't the broken mirror that disgusted him, it was himself.  
  
Ever since his mutation came out, his life had been a nightmare. It wasn't that his mutation made him ugly or anything, actually, it was quite the opposite. It made him invisible. No, that wasn't what bothered him. It was because he had no control. His mutation came out whenever it felt like it. And it ALWAYS came at the worst possible time.   
  
When he was trying to swindle some food, a suddenly disappearing limb would alert the store keeper. When he tried to stay at a homeless shelter, it happened and caused people to panic and try to kill him. Even when he simply tired to walk down the street and look causal, the bloody mutation ruined everything.  
  
When ever he tried to do anything important, at the critical moment, the accursed liquid that came from his pores and made him invisible would come forth unwanted and unwelcomed. And whenever it did, it would be met with screams and cries of "Mutant!!" or "Monster!!" or even "Ghost!!". And always after that he would be chased away, forced back onto the streets that were quickly becoming his home.  
  
Of course, his mutation did help him several times. When he was cornered by anti-mutant gangs that wanted to kill him, his invisibility allowed for escape. Or like last night with the police, he managed to throw them off his trail.  
  
'But the cons still grossly out-weigh the pros...' Darien thought sadly. 'Crap! If it wasn't for this bloody mutation I wouldn't be on the streets in the first place!'   
  
That was true, but even in his home, Darien had been a rebel. His younger brother, Kevin, was always the one in the spotlight. For his intelligence, his grades, just about anything he did. Darien on the other hand, was doing good just to get a B-. It wasn't that he was dumb, Darien was actually very smart, but he was sick and tired of being compared to Kevin. Consequently, Darien had stopped caring about his work. And lately, he'd even found a mentor, a older girl named Liz, who had agreed to teach him to pick locks, break in to houses, how to tell which houses were worth breaking in to, that sort of thing. She was going to teach him to be a cat-burglar. And Darien had been more than willing to learn. But she'd been repulsed when she found out about his mutation.   
  
That had been when he first found out about his mutation. She'd taken him to a house to actually break in to. He was mostly just going to watch her to see how it was done, but he'd been so nervous!! Imagine his surprise when his world suddenly turned into shades of gray and Liz started talking like she couldn't see him!!!  
  
Darien was still lost in these past thoughts when he suddenly heard a voice calling his name.  
  
"Darien!"  
  
Darien started and then whirled to see who it was that knew his name. He hadn't told anyone his name, and no one that DID know him would be looking for him, certainly not this far from home.  
  
Upon turning, the teen found himself facing a small, balding man in a wheelchair. The man watched him with sharp, intelligent eyes. Behind the wheelchair was another man, this one was tall and VERY muscular. His short hair was done in some style Darien had never seen before.   
  
His first reaction was to run, but as Darien looked at the man in the wheelchair, he found himself captivated by those eyes. He felt as if the man could read his every thought. It was a creepy feeling. Finally he shook himself free of the emotion.  
  
"Who are you?" Darien demanded.  
  
"My name is Charles Xavier. I know who you are, and I want to help you." The man answered calmly.  
  
Darien puzzled a moment over this. 'I know who you are...' This guy knew he was a mutant?! But how?? He must be a cop. This was a trap! Darien scowled at the man in a sudden burst of anger. How dare this man come and expect Darien to go with him just because he said he would 'help'! How dare he think he could calmly lead Darien to his death! Like a lamb to the slaughter! "Help me?! Yea, I bet you want to 'help' me. Help me die!" Darien snarled. The man looked surprised at this sudden outburst. "You want to kill me, just because I'm different, but I won't let you!" Out of the corner of his eyes Darien saw the larger man tense, preparing to spring into action, but Darien reacted quicker.   
  
Lunging to the side, Darien just barely slid past the larger man. But fast as he was, the other man was much, much stronger. He grabbed Darien's poor excuse for a shirt and lifted him off his feet by the collar. Darien, stunned, just stayed there, dangling about a foot off the ground in the grip of the huge man.  
  
Darien suddenly felt the familiar tickle of liquid on his back and this time, he didn't fight it. Darien vanished in the blink of an eye. The man who was holding him was temporally stunned, but only for a second. Still that second was all Darien needed to slip out of the man's grip and scrabble hand over heels up a fire escape.  
  
The large man started to follow, but was stopped by the smaller man. "Logan! Stop. Let him go."  
  
Logan halted, and growled softly. "Why?" He demanded turning back to the professor.  
  
"You know why. Chasing him isn't going to help us." Xavier looked at the Canadian mutant solemnly. "He's been kicked around too much. He won't trust us unless we can give him a reason to." Pausing, Xavier seemed to think quickly before sighing and adding, "But perhaps we should keep an eye on him. He's very unstable and-"  
  
Xavier didn't even finish his sentence before Logan was gone, his foot disappearing over the top of the building in the direction the boy had gone. Xavier sighed.  
  
  
  
  
Darien leapt from roof top to roof top, before he slid back down into an alley. He was exhausted, his sides heaving. Work like this required nourishment, and it'd been a couple of days since Darien had last eaten, and even longer than that since he had had REAL food.  
  
But he kept going, though at a much slower pace now. He started to feel dizzy. Darien cursed himself, but kept going. He'd find a safe place to sleep now and then see if he couldn't snatch some food later.   
  
Stumbling on now, Darien was taken completely by surprise when he suddenly found himself laying flat on the ground, the trash he'd tripped on at his feet. Stunned, he felt the liquid silver pour out over him. He began to push it away and get up when a boot suddenly came down on his back.  
  
"Well, well, well. What've we got here?" A thick, hard voice sounded over Darien's head. "Looks like one of 'em freaks to me. What da ya boys think?"  
  
"Yea, it's a freak." Another harsh voice confirmed.   
  
"I say we kill it." A violent shudder ran down Darien's spine. This was an anti-mutant gang. He was going to die. And he was far too weak to fight back.  
  
"Now, now. Where's ya manners, Brunei? I say let's roll out the red carpet for it."  
  
Darien couldn't help but moan. He knew what that meant. The street would run red with his blood. The man with his foot on Darien's back, moved and then bent down next to him. A sharp tug on his wild, brown hair brought Darien's head up and he found himself face to face with the leader of this gang.  
  
The darkness of the alley concealed most of the boy's features, but Darien could tell that this WAS a boy. Not much older then himself. A ugly scar ran down the side of his face and he scowled darkly at Darien. "You got somein' ta say, freak?" He demanded.  
  
Darien closed his eyes, saying nothing. The boy released him and he fell flat on his face, before two of the other boys hauled him up and pinned back his arms. They held him up as the other three began pounding him with fists that quickly grew bloody. He fell again to the ground soon and they began to kick him, leaving him breathless with stars dancing in his eyes. Pain consumed Darien, defining every part of his being, and he soon retreated into unconsciousness.   
  
  
  
  
Logan followed the scent trail that the youth had unknowingly left behind. It wasn't long until he heard the shouts and cries that he had come to identify as a fight. Following his keen hearing, Logan quickly came upon the scene.   
  
There were five teenagers gathered around something. The scent in the air readily identified their pray as the young mutant he was suppose to be stalking. Logan knew immediately what was happening. This was an anti-mutant gang, and they had found their victim.   
  
A low growl escaped his throat unbidden. One by one, the gang members became aware of his presence. The look of superiority left their eyes. Obviously this group had only come across younger mutants and had always been able to bully them around by outnumbering them. But not now.  
  
After a brief hesitation, the apparent leader stepped forward. "Who're you?" He demanded.  
  
The only response he got was the sudden appearance of three long blades popping out of each of Logan's fists.  
  
The boy faltered, eyeing the blades.  
  
"Get out of here." Logan growled, barely stopping himself from ripping out the boy's throat.  
  
At first the teen looked like he was going to obey, but the other boys urged him on with their eyes. This was what they were all about. Why should their leader back down just because they came across a freak bigger and scarier (and lets face it, stronger) than the rest? "Oh yea? And who's gonna make me?" The boy taunted bravely (or should I say, dumbly?).  
  
Logan didn't waste his breath but suddenly he had the boy pinned against a brick wall, the tender skin of his throat caught between the two outermost claws on Logan's right fist. "I told you to get out of here." Logan's voice was deadly clam.  
  
The teen, now trembling, nodded weakly (and carefully due to the claws that still held his neck). Logan, after staring intimidatingly into his eyes, released him. The boy fell to his knees, still trembling. Hurriedly, he scrambled to his feet and took off running. The rest of his gang stood still in confusion, still staring at Logan. A glare from the aforementioned mutant found them all scrambling after their cowardly leader.  
  
Logan watched them go, a look of total disgust in his eyes, before turning to look at the beaten and bloody mess called Darien.  
  
The kid was a wreak. His shirt had been ripped from him, revealing that the child was all skin and bones. Logan was positive that if there hadn't been so much blood, he'd been able to see every last bone the kid owned. As it was, there were many, many bruises and many would-be bruises. There were various cuts and scratches everywhere. There was one partially deep gash across his chest. A black eye and a bloody nose adorned the too-thin face.  
  
Still surveying the damage, Logan pulled out a cell phone he'd had in his pocket. "Yea Chuck, the kid's a mess. He'll need medical help...sure, whatever." Hanging up. Logan sighed. He kneeled down next to the shattered form of the teenager. "You sure you don't want that help? Looks like you need it to me."   
  
There was no answer from the unconscious teen.  
  
"Yea, that's what I thought." Logan lifted the broken body unto his shoulder and disappeared down the alley, heading in the direction in which he would find Xavier, as well as a jet prepared to take them back home.  
  
  
  
End Chapter 1  



	2. Failing tests and makeing Discoveries

Shades of Gray  
By Skye Dragon  
  
Disclaimer: I think you know this.  
  
Author's note: ::Stares at reviews with awe:: Wow, people LIKE my story. How awesome! Um, I have something to tell you wonderful people who read this story. I personally am rather disappointed with this chapter. I'll tell you why. I am leaving tomorrow to go out of state with my family, and the place where I'm going, there are no computers (cruel, no?). And when I come back it'll be the last week of school and the last week of school is total chaos around my school. So I won't be able to work on my story for a little over a week and a half. So I wanted to get this posted before I left, but I wasn't done but I decided to post what I had anyway. So this chapter is depressingly short and lacking of detail, but once I start back up again, I'll be out of school and, since I have no social life, I'll have plenty of time to make it better. So just bare with me though this chapter. Oh, the wonderful Morwen O'Conner has been Beta-reading this for me so many thanks go out to her! Oh and review please! You have no idea how much it means to me. Thanks!  
  
  
Chapter 2: Failing Tests, and Making Discoveries  
  
  
". . . so if the hypotenuse is forty-five centimeters long and other little angle is thirty-two degrees then . . . um . . ."  
  
Kurt bit down on the eraser of his pencil. Geometry was definitely NOT his favorite subject. A sigh escaped his lips as he tapped the pencil against the paper. His oddly colored eyes trailed to the window, watching a small songbird as it hopped from one branch to another, it's beautiful song following it.   
  
The German teenager got up from his desk then and opened the window. (Balcony?) A slight breeze came by then, playing with his dark blue hair. He stopped to brush a piece of it back behind one of his pointed ears. The breeze was cool, and felt good on his fur. It was certainty a tempting distraction from his homework. To slip outside, take a walk, he could 'port and no one would ever know . . .   
  
"Hmm . . . "  
  
Kurt was saved just in time from the distraction by Evan suddenly throwing open the door. Kurt was so startled that he actually 'ported up to the chandelier.   
  
"Evan! You scared me." The fuzzy mutant exclaimed as he jumped back down to the ground.  
  
Evan blinked. "Sorry, Xavier's back," Evan informed the fuzzy one, "He's got another mutant with him, in case you wanted to know . . ." Evan shrugged, then slipped back out the door before Kurt could get another word out.  
  
Kurt watched him go. A new mutant? His amber eyes turned back to the papers of math he'd previously been suffering through. He was sure he'd meet this new person sooner or later, and he really did need to finish his homework, but a new person at the mansion . . . Curiosity getting the best of him (and because he really didn't want to do his homework), Kurt followed.  
  
  
  
  
  
Scott looked curiously at the young man stretched out on his back on a cot. They were in an unoccupied room, and it was Xavier, Ororo, Jean, and himself present. The new teenager was unconscious on the bed. His face was turned away from Scott, his dark brown hair an unwashed mess. The tattered remains of his shirt had been disposed of, and now much of his chest and side was covered in gauze. The ripped blue-jean shorts had also been removed, and replaced by a pair of Scott's old shorts. They were still a size or so too big in the waist, but then, starved as the guy was, anything would probably be too big in the waist. He certainly was a poor sight.  
  
Evan suddenly appeared at the door, peering in curiously. A half-second later Kurt also appeared in a puff of sulfur.   
  
"Oh, vow. Vhat happened to him?" Kurt promptly asked upon seeing the vastness of the injures.   
  
"He thought we wanted to harm him and ran." Xavier sounded quiet downcast. "He ran into an anti-mutant gang. Logan chased them away."  
  
"But," Evan started, "The dude looks like he hasn't eaten in forever!"  
  
"He was living on the streets, Evan, what do you expect?" Jean responded, her own voice sounding rather solemn.  
  
Evan blinked, looking at her, then fell silent.  
  
"So what is his mutation?" Scott questioned after a brief pause.  
  
"Invisibility, apparently." Xavier answered.  
  
Another lull in the conversation.   
  
Finally Ororo turned to the 'kids'. "Come on now, there's nothing to do here. And you all have school in the morning." This was met by the expected moans and groans, but the teens followed her advice and left. Xavier remained behind and Ororo came back in after making sure the others were headed back to their rooms.   
  
"You're really worried about this one." Ororo observed, her comment directed to the founder of 'Xavier school for gifted children'. "Why?"  
  
"He ran from us," Xavier remarked quietly. He turned and looked at her. "He won't know where he is when he wakes up." A pause. "He didn't want us to help him."  
  
Ororo cocked her head to the side, a reassuring smile on her lips. "Charles, I'm sure he'll be fine. He was afraid of you because he didn't know who you were. Once he understands, I think he'll want to stay here. I mean, after living on the street like he was, who wouldn't be glad to have a roof over their heads and food to eat?"  
  
Xavier wasn't looking at her, but Ororo knew he had heard her. "I hope so." Was his only response.   
  
After a moment, when Xavier still didn't say anything, Ororo added, "I can stay with him. Sit with him while he sleeps, so he won't wake up alone . . . if you would like me to."   
  
Xavier turned to her and nodded. "Yes, I think that would be good. But he may not wake up until tomorrow evening."  
  
"I'll still wait." Ororo decided.   
  
Xavier nodded to her. "Thank you. Good night." He maneuvered his wheelchair so that he was leaving the room.  
  
"Good night, Charles."  
  
  
  
  
The next day went on as usual, only without Ororo. There was still the usual chaos that came with breakfast, and then the rush to get to school on time. And then later, when the mansion was empty save for Xavier, Logan, Ororo, and the new mutant, things continued normally-or, as normal as things get around the Xavier mansion, anyway-with everyone doing their own thing. At school too, despite the fact that they were mutants, hiding from others, and the fact that the principal was one of their arch-enemies, life for the X-men also went on with the usual dullness. And at 3:15, P.M. all the X-men were back home from a long day at school.  
  
"This literature is, like, killer!" Kitty exclaimed in frustration, dumping her book bag on the floor.  
  
"You think zhat is bad, I just know I failed my Geometry test, today." Kurt sighed.  
  
"Well, that's not a surprise, considering you, like, turned in your homework only half done!" Kitty announced.   
  
"So? I didn't understand it! It vas hard!" Kurt stated. It was hard to tell by the look on his hologram-induced face if he was serious or not.   
  
"I just bet!" Kitty told him.  
  
"So, has that Darien guy woken up yet?" Scott asked with interest, ignoring Kurt and Kitty's fussing.  
  
"No, he's still out of it, but I did learn about his mutation." Xavier answered. "It seems Darien has an extra gland at the base of his skull. This gland can secrete a substance from his pores. I've code-named the substance 'quicksilver' (QS)."  
  
"Quicksilver?" Evan raised an eyebrow, no doubt thinking of his long time rival.  
  
"Yes, but I called it that because of what it does." The professor went on, "You see, this QS can actually bend light."  
  
"Bend light?" Kurt looked doubtful. "Zhat's how he does the whole . . . invisible . . . zhing?"  
  
Xavier nodded. "Yes, anything that is covered in this substance will become invisible to the naked eye. But it is invisible not because you see through it, but rather, because you see around it."  
  
"So this dude can become invisible? Cool." Evan commented.  
  
"But there is more to it than that, Evan." Xavier informed him. "I have reason to believe that Darien has very little control over when the QS comes out."  
  
"I know how that feels . . ." Scott mumbled, then louder he asked, "So when does it come out, then?"  
  
"It appears to be triggered by his emotions. When Logan and I first encountered him, his anger brought out the QS."  
  
"So whenever zis guy gets mad he vill vanish?"   
  
Xavier nodded, then seemed slightly hesitant. "That is what I think. We'll know more when he actually wakes up."  
  
  
  



	3. Missing Mutants and the Pain of Waking U...

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, please don't sue me. All you'll get is some pocket change and a purple teddy bear.  
  


Shades of Gray  
By: Skye Dragon

  
  
  
Skye's Rambling Spot: Heh, I thought that was a more appropriate name than "Author's note". I am very sorry to all you people who read this story. I really shouldn't have posted chapter two like that. That was still very much a rough draft, but I just really didn't want to leave you guys hanging. So I hope you can forgive me, and I pray that the rest of the chapters are better. Also, I just want to tell you that chapter one and two were just introductions to Darien and his mutation. This chapter is where the **REAL** story starts.  
  
And on that note, I also want to say that I am very much an idiot. I completely forgot where I was going with this story. Luckily, **:o)** helped me out. So a lot of the plot you read here was created by** :o)** . I only made a few minor changes. So many thanks to **:o)** and everyone go tell her what a wonderful person she is!   
  
Oh yeah, one more thing. This chapter was not Beta read, cuz for some reason my computer wouldn't let me e-mail this to Morwen O'Conner, so if you're reading this, morwen, then please e-mail me so I can figure that out.   
  
Last thing, I'm going out of town for a week with my church youth group! Joy! I realize that this has nothing to do with the story but I felt like sharing. ^_^  
  
  
  
  
**Chapter Three:** Missing mutants and the pain of awakening  
  
  
  


Darkness settled around three figures that sat in hiding outside a rather large building. To the uninformed passer-by, it would have looked like an old storage house. Paint was peeling off the side, and there were holes in the roof that had been patched, and a few that hadn't been patched. The grass in the yard was tall and almost choked out with weeds that were themselves dying. The paved road that led up to the warehouse was cracked and in a terrible state of disuse. All in all, it was rather obvious that the building had seen better times.  
  


None of this mattered to the three figures though. They knew it was just a facade.  
  


" . . . Okay, well, no ones been in or out of the place all day." Toad said, somewhat loathed to break the heavy silence that had been hanging over their heads.  
  


Quicksilver turned to look at the frog-like mutant. "Yeah? So what's your point?"  
  


Toad blinked and backed up a bit, "Look, I'm just sayin'-"  
  


"Hey, someone's come out." Blob informed the other two.  
  


Quicksilver and Toad both turned back to the seemingly abandoned building.  
  


Two men had come out, both dressed in crisp white lab coats, and both looked rather tired. They talked together, but their words did not reach the ears of the three boys crouched down in a mangled copse located right outside the wire fence that surrounded the warehouse.  
  


The three Brotherhood mutants watched as one of the men lit a cigarette. The two men seemed content to stand and talk. And after a few more minutes, another men appeared at the door. He said something, and the guy who wasn't smoking yelled back, "Naw, man, ask Darcie. Me n Antonio's on break!"  
  


The man at the door looked annoyed and then yelled back. "No, you're NOT on break! Da boss wants ta question da shapeshifter! We can't git her outta her cell! You's two gotta help!"  
  


The man who'd spoken earlier swore. "Why now? Why don't da boss torment da boy? You's can handle him!"  
  


"Yeah, we's can! But he's not 'wake yet!" The man in the doorway yelled. "Now come on Jake, Antonio. You's gotta help!" With that the men disappeared inside.  
  


Jake grumbled under his breath. Antonio look a long drag of his cigarette and said, "No worries, Jake. We can handle her. We got her here, no?"  
  


Jake looked back at his friend. "Yeah, but it's hard 'nuff gitin' her here! Now we's gotta help keep her here." He sighed. "I don't git paid 'nuff to do this."  
  


Antonio threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out. "It'll be easier now, though." He put his hand on Jake's back in a friendly way as the two of them began walking back to the warehouse. "All we's gotta do is gas her, and den hit her with some o dat paralizin' drug."  
  


"But what if those other three muties that were with the boy show up?" Jake protested.  
  


"We know who dey are, what dey look like, and what dey can do, so we can take care of dem if dey show up." Antonio didn't look concerned in the least. " 'Sides, who's 'cared of a mutant frog, a fat-man, n a speed demon, eh?"  
  


The two went inside and back in the copse, there were three very upset mutants.   
  


"I'm not FROG, I'm TOAD!!!!" Toad hissed between gritted teeth.  
  


Quicksilver glared at him. "Shut up!" The mutant hushed and looked back at the white haired teen. "Now, they have Lance as well as Mystique, and they know about us."  
  


"They're expecting us to show up to help them, again." Toad remarked.  
  


"They know us and they know we're coming. They'll have traps set for us, and considering the fact that last time we tried to get Mystique out, they caught Lance, there's no way we'll get past them. We may not even escape again." Quicksilver paused for a moment. "What we need . . . is someone who can get in there for us. Someone they won't know about. Someone who won't get caught."  
  


"You mean like Kitty?" Blob asked.  
  


Quicksilver looked up at him. "Yeah, someone like Kitty. Or even Kurt."   
  


"We're gonna get the X-freaks to help us?" Toad questioned, one eyebrow raised higher then the other in a look of disbelief.  
  


"That may be the best way." Quicksilver said, even as he thought it over. "The people here probably don't know about them. So they would be able to get in and out . . . but how could we convince them to help us?"  
  
  
  
  


Her claws were fully extended, and she easily tore a chunk out of the man's arm. Blood gushed out of the deep wound, and the man stumbled backwards with a cry of pain.   
  


Mystique, now in the form of an angry tiger, threw back her head and roared. She could feel the blood on her paws. It was sticky and stained them a dark red. Her tail slashed back and forth in the air. Turning, Mystique glared at the other man in her cell.   
  


He had seen what she had done to his partner, and he was wary of her.  
  


She growled, a loud rumbling sound from deep in her throat, before launching herself at him. Her powerful hind legs propelled her at him, and he ducked. She landed easily on all fours and roared again. The two men suddenly both ran to the door and ripped it open.   
  


With an enraged cry, she ran after them, but the door was shut in her face. She stopped just before crashing into the closed door. She backed up a bit and let loose one final roar. Then her form seemed to shiver and then melt. The silver liquid pushed upwards, reforming into her 'normal' form as a blue-skinned woman with blood-red hair.  
  


She stood glaring at the closed door with her amber eyes. Her white dress was ragged and torn, her hair messed up. But she didn't care. She was in Hell anyway.  
  


The day before was when it had happened. Mystique honestly had no idea she had walked into a trap, when it snapped close on her. Everything had been perfectly normal when suddenly she was hit from behind and when she had awoken, she was here. Her cell was rather small, about the size of a large walk-in closet. The walls, floor and ceiling were all coated in steel. They were shiny and reflected her image back at her.   
  


Mystique ignored them as she paced the floor. So far, these men had attempted to subdue her four or five times. She'd fought them off every time, but something was wrong. They'd left too soon this time. Something was up.  
  


A sudden hissing sound overhead let Mystique know that she was right. Something was up. With a cry, she crouched down, warily eyeing the mist that was starting to form over her head from an air vent. She held her breath, trying hard not to inhale the strange mist, but it was all in vain, and she was soon laying prone on the floor, unable to move.  
  


The mist was sucked away, and the men came back in. They laughed at her, unafraid, now that she could not fight them. They picked her up and brought in chains. She was restrained against the far wall, her back to the wall, facing the door. Her hands were stretched taunt over her head and out to either side. Her feet were chained to the floor, spread a shoulders length apart.  
  


She tried to struggle, tired to morph, but the drug was powerful and she was completely paralyzed. Unable to fight back. She suddenly felt terribly weak and vulnerable..  
  


The men left her then, and Mystique was left wondering what was going on. And when she saw the next person to enter her cell, Mystique knew that she truly was in Hell.  
  
  
  
  


A sharp stab of pain running down his chest told Darien that he was fully awake, and most definitely alive, for surly death wouldn't hurt this much. The pain quickly subsided into a dull but insistent throbbing. It was then that he noticed the soft feel of actual sheets and pillows beneath him, instead of pavement and trash. Slowly he opened his eyes.   
  


The sight, confused and shocked him. He was in a real room, laying on a real bed. There was a woman also in the room with him. She was seated in a chair with a thick book in her lap and was humming softly to herself. She was a black woman, with hair as white as snow, and just as soft-looking.   
  


Upon hearing him stir, the woman glanced up from her book, to find him staring at her. At first startled, she quickly recovered and smiled warmly. "Well, hello."  
  


Darien stared at her uncomprehendingly. This was far too much to take in at once.  
  


Ororo seemed to have noticed this for she put down the book and moved to the bed side. Darien, unsure of her intentions, tried to scoot away from her, but his abused body wouldn't allow for that. A wave of dizziness washed over him and with a stifled cry, Darien was forced to lie his head back down and close his eyes.  
  


He felt the woman place her hand on his forehead and heard her telling him to relax, the pain would soon pass.  
  


Once it did pass, Darien wearily opened his eyes again, looking up into her face which was now etched with concern. "Who are you?" Darien managed to croak through a throat gone dry.  
  


"Shhhh," Ororo whispered, "Don't speak. Drink this." She pressed a small cup of water to his lips and Darien quiet nearly choked, trying to quench his thirst. Once this was accomplished, Ororo said, "My name is Ororo. And you have no need to be worried. You're among friends. We won't let any other gang members get to you."   
  


". . . gang members?" Darien tried fanatically to understand. What was this woman talking about? Then, it hit him. All his memories came flooding back to him. Now alarmed, Darien shot up straight in bed, ignoring the dizziness that came as a result. "Where am I?" He demanded.  
  


Ororo was taken back. "You're in Bayville, . . . New York . . ."  
  


"**NEW YORK!?!**" Darien gaped at Ororo in shock.  
  


"Shhh!" Ororo put a hand on his chest to push Darien back down onto the bed. "It's okay, there's no need to be alarmed!"  
  


Darien pushed her hand away and jumped up out of the bed on the side opposite the one where Ororo stood. " 'No need to be alarmed'??? What are you talking about? I'm in New York! I'm suppose to be in California!!!" Darien exclaimed. Pain now ran up and down his chest and side, caused by his sudden movements, but Darien's mind was reeling from confusion and didn't fully register the pain.  
  


"If you'll calm down, I can explain everything." Ororo pressed as much compassion as she possibly could into that one sentence, but Darien didn't seem to notice it at all.  
  


"No! Get away from me!" He yelled.  
  


Ororo was very much taken back. She certainly hadn't expected the boy to react like this! _~Xavier, Darien's awake . . . and he's not happy!~_ Ororo thought 'loudly', hoping Xavier heard her.  
  


_~I hear you, try and calm him down. He's very weak and might hurt himself.~_ The telepathic message answered Ororo.  
  


Darien stumbled away from Ororo, his movements jerky and unstable. He tripped and was sent sprawling onto the floor. Liquid silver raced down his back and soon covered his body.  
  


Ororo watched as the QS covered the wounded teenager and he vanished from sight, but though she could not see him, Ororo was very much able to hear him.  
  


He was panting hard. His breath rattled in his lungs. Ororo moved toward the sound cautiously. She put her hands out on the carpet and felt around until her hand hit something soft that she couldn't see.  
  


She gasped. It was so cold! She pulled her hand away, unable to stand the feeling of touching ice. She heard his breathing change for a moment, and assumed that he had shuddered at her touch. Ororo took a deep breath, and then calmly asked, "Darien?"  
  


A breathy "No . . ." answered her, and Ororo suddenly saw the faint outline of a young, male body lying stomach-down on the floor. The outline was a slivery color and even as she watched it became more visible, until it was Darien's body covered in a metallic silver substance. It remained that way a moment before cracks appeared in the silver and then it flaked off. The substance shattered into pieces too small to be seen almost immediately after falling off of him.  
  


Darien was left laying on the floor. His head was turned to the side and there was a dazed expression on his face. His liquid brown eyes didn't seem to actually see anything. Ororo saw that a few of his wounds had been reopened and were bleeding again.  
  


The door opened then, Scott, Jean, Logan, and Xavier appearing.  
  


"What happened?" Scott demanded.  
  


Ororo looked up at them from her place on the floor. "He woke up and freaked out when I told him he was in New York instead of California." She explained.  
  


Logan wordlessly picked the youth up and deposited him on the bed, the dazed expression never leaving Darien's eyes. "Looks like he's passed out again, now." He commented finally.  
  


Darien blinked then, turning his head toward Logan. He moaned and fought to bring the world back into focus. When he saw Logan looming over him, as well as the other four in the room, he tensed.  
  


Logan, seeing that Darien was about to jump up again, put his hand on Darien's chest. He didn't apply much pressure, knowing that the youth was badly wounded in that area, but he made sure to apply enough to keep the boy lying down in the bed.  
  


"Now listen, bub, You don't need to be jumping all over the place like that. We're not gonna hurt you, unless you give us a reason to."  
  


"Logan!" Jean gasped, the boy didn't need to be scared like that.  
  


Logan ignored her. "Now, if you'll sit still and let us actually explain some things to you, I'll let you go." Darien, who was actually hurting a bit from Logan's grip, hesitantly nodded. As promised, Logan released him, and moved a few steps away from the bed.  
  


There was a moment of silence after that. Xavier, not quiet sure how to start after that, tried to think of something to say, but was saved from having to do so as Darien started off first.  
  


"Who are you people, and why am I here?"  
  


"You're here because we didn't want to leave you in the alleyway waiting for the anti-mutant gang to come back and finish you off." Logan answered in his own way.  
  


Xavier sighed. "Logan, please." The mutant known as Wolverine fell silent, and Xavier went on. "I told you before that I am Charles Xavier. And this is my home. It's a haven for mutants, such as yourself."  
  


Darien stared at him. "A haven for mutants?" He paused and then shook his head. "But how do you know that I'm a mutant?" He demanded.  
  


_~Because I am a mutant myself.~_ Xavier decided it would be best to show Darien what he meant.  
  


The telepathic message caught the young man completely off guard.  
  


"We're all mutants." Jean informed him.  
  


Darien openly stared at her. Then at Xavier. "But then . . . "  
  


"I was trying to tell you this in the alley when you misunderstood us and ran away. Logan," And he nodded to the lager man still standing by Darien's bedside, "was able to track you. It was a good thing he did, too, because there was an anti-mutant gang that had found you." Xavier paused a moment, letting his words sink in before he continued. "I did want to wait until you woke up before returning here, but things do not always go as one plans."  
  


Darien, now sitting up, thought this over. "So, this is a home for mutants?"  
  


Scott was the one to answer this time. "Yeah, it's 'Xavier's school for the gifted', but it's more like a home than a school. We learn how to control our mutations here."  
  


Daren frowned, looking at him. "Who're you?"  
  


"My name's Scott Summers." He nodded to the young red-headed girl next to him. "And this is Jean Grey. We're both students here."  
  


Darien nodded.   
  


"I brought you here, because I thought you might like to stay here." Xavier caught Darien's attention again.   
  


Darien blinked. This was all so new, "I . . . I'm not . . ."  
  


"You don't have to decide anything right now." Xavier continued. "You'll stay here until you've healed, and then you can say if you want to stay or not."

  


Looking into the man's eyes, Darien could only nod.  
  


"Right, then we will leave you with Ororo. She will take care of you. You should get some more sleep right now, you'll be awakened before lunch." Xavier turned, ushering the others out of the room.  
  


Darien, still very much confused and taken back by how his life had changed overnight, dropped back down into the soft bed. It wasn't long at all before he drifted back off to sleep.  
  
  
  
  


Please review and hopefully the wait for the next chapter won't be nearly as long this time. ^_^  
  
  
  



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